Blackburn honored for urban forest efforts March 15, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail Nick McKorkle and Blackburn College students pose after planting trees on the 80-acre campus. Blackburn College has received a 2020 Tree Campus Higher Education® recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management. CARLINVILLE — Blackburn College has received a 2020 Tree Campus Higher Education® recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management. With a long history of leading in sustainability, Blackburn is the only college in downstate Illinois to receive this honor. The Tree Campus Higher Education® program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Blackburn College achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus Higher Education’s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning project.